Beyond Limits: A Post Nemesis Data Story
by Sfbell888
Summary: Chapter 5 has finally been added! An account of what could have happened to Data after 'Star Trek: Nemesis'. The story picks up at the final scene in the movie. Please read, enjoy and review.
1. Chapter 1: The Recollection

**Warning: If you haven't seen **_**Star Trek: Nemesis**_**, this story contains a major spoiler at the beginning.**

_The following story picks up from the point after Data beams Captain Picard off the Scimitar war ship in the movie 'Star Trek: Nemesis'.  
_Contains mild sexual content

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BEYOND LIMITS

_Written by S. Bell_

Data looked at the spot from where Captain Picard had just dematerialized.

"Goodbye." Data replied somberly before he spun around and pulled out his phaser.

Data fired point-blank into the Scimitar's warp core relays and he was surrounded by a blinding white light. The light was so bright nothing else was visible. The rumbling sound of the ship faded and there was nothing but silence. He appeared to be trapped in a gleaming white void.

"Curious. Is this what death looks like?" Data asked himself as he slowly glanced around.

There was no up or down, left or right. Direction no longer seemed to exist or matter. He noticed that his Starfleet uniform was still intact and in its usual pristine condition.  
His android body was also undamaged.

"What makes you think you're dead, my Professor of the Humanities?" A familiar voice rang jubilantly.

"Who is there? Q, is it you?" Data asked.

"Always the keen one!" Q exclaimed as he suddenly emerged wearing a Starfleet Admirals uniform.

"Is Captain Picard alright? Did he make it back to the Enterprise in time?"

"Yes, yes. He and the crew are fine."

"Am I dead?"

"Dead? Shame on you for using such a limited word Data! Surely you could be more expansive." Q replied with a mischievous smirk.

"Where am I, and what is this place?"

"Why Data, it's whatever you want it to be!" Q exclaimed.

Suddenly, the stark white engulfment of the light faded and they were now on the bridge of the Enterprise. All of the senior staff were present and smiling at Data, but something seemed odd to him as he walked around and regarded each of them.

"But… this can not possibly be real. Can it?" Data replied quietly.

There was a strange sensation growing inside of him. He was becoming increasingly impatient with Q's meandering.

"Q, I need you to tell me. Where am I? What do you want with me?!" he asked harshly as he turned to face him, but to his surprise, Q was gone.

"No need to be hasty Data. You'll know everything soon enough. But first you need time to reflect." Q's voice echoed from all around.

"Reflect? Reflect on what?" Data called out as he searched for the origin of Q's voice.

Data turned to face the bridge crew but they had all vanished as well.

"Computer, location of Captain Picard." Data requested, but there was no response.

Data tried several more times to ascertain the location of the crew but with no success. He looked through the entire ship but it was desolate, it appeared that he was the only one on board. Although the ship appeared to be fully operational, the helm and navigation controls were not functioning. Through his journey on the ship, he couldn't help but recall the happy times he spent with his friends. As he walked through Engineering, he remembered his many pleasant conversations with Geordi. When he traveled through Ten Forward, he recalled the many celebrations and recitals that took place there. So many memories raced through his head, he felt as if he were reliving those joyous experiences all over again.

The last place he went was to his quarters and he noticed that not even spot was present. Not knowing what else to do he began to pace without realizing it. He called several times for Q to reveal himself but only silence answered him. Data's emotion chip seemed to be working overtime as a wild mélange of emotions began to race through his positronic network. The most prominent emotion was impatience, but it eventually gave way to fear and intense anger. Data walked over to his console, picked up a PADD and hurled it into a corner.

"Q, answer me damn it!" Data yelled as the PADD struck several of his paintings, knocking a few of them down in the process.

Data noticed one painting in particular. He slowly walked over to the pile of strewn canvases and picked one up. As he sat on his bed, he brushed his fingers over the surface, tracing the face of a pretty young woman with short dark hair. He felt as if he were imploding; his midsection began to spasm. As he continued to look at the painting, a few gold drops fell onto the canvas just beneath the woman's left eye. Data realized that he was crying.

"Lal," he sobbed, "my daughter! I am so sorry I could not tell you that I loved you! I _did_ love you… I _always_ have. I simply did not know it. I will_ always _love you my child!"

The words barely escaped his mouth and his body continued to quiver with uncontrollable sorrow. He clutched the painting to his chest and for the first time, was able to grieve for his beloved daughter. Data was unable to determine how much time had passed since his internal chronometer no longer seemed to be functioning. He was surprised to find himself lying down, it was apparent that he had fallen asleep for an unknown length of time. The painting of his daughter Lal was leaning neatly against the wall by his bed. He slowly got up, made his way over to his console and came across his service medals, a book from Captain Picard and a holographic cube. Once it was activated, Tasha Yar's small holographic image stood on top of the cube with her hands clasped in front of her. She appeared to be perpetually and serenely smiling. Data felt that he couldn't take anymore as a flood of emotions began to overwhelm him once again. He realized that she was another person whom he loved without realizing it.

"Tasha." he whispered in a shaky voice, "I did not know. Why am I only just realizing how much you really meant to me?"

He began to sob once again as he discontinued the holographic image. It hurt too much to look at it. All at once he began to think about all the people he loved and would never see again. He thought about all of the people he had lost over the years and not being able to fully grieve for them emotionally. The thought of his father Dr. Soong, his mother Juliana, Lal and Tasha all bombarded his positronic brain and he feared it would overload. It seemed that he was now making up for lost time in grieving for them but he desperately wished the painful sensations would stop. He cocked his head in an effort to deactivate the emotion chip but to no effect. Feeling powerless and furious, he pounded on the console and dented it before he dropped to his knees and wailed. After a while, he regained his composure and sat in his chair.

"I am all alone. I do not want to be alone. I do not like it." he replied in barely a whisper as he stared blankly at nothing at all.

"But you're not alone!" Q replied as he suddenly reappeared, "And you don't have to be!"

Q was casually sitting on Data's console. He still wore the same admirals' uniform Data had seen him in earlier.

"Q, your company is the kind I do not wish to have." Data replied in a quiet, yet threatening manner through clenched teeth, "Why are you doing this? Why do you wish to torture me like this? What have I done to deserve this?!"

"Torture? My friend, I wouldn't _dream_ of torturing you. Not after all you've done for me. I am simply here to… help you on your way."

"On my way? To where might I ask?"

Q snapped his fingers and they were suddenly transported to the forest Data had visited on the holodeck during the Farpoint mission. The sun was setting and the stars were beginning to emerge. However, something seemed different somehow, but Data could not determine what it was. He heard the soothing sound of birds chirping and the sound of crickets singing. His overwhelming sadness had faded a bit and was accompanied by a comforting feeling of peacefulness. He came to the familiar pond which had a row of several stepping stones. He couldn't resist the urge to walk across them — which he did swiftly and effortlessly. Data even remembered the exact location of a loose stone and skillfully maneuvered over it. Once he reached the other side, Q was already there, leaning against a tree.

"Why have you brought me here?" Data asked.

"You will find out soon enough my friend. It won't be long now. _I promise._" Q answered with his usual confident smile.

Data glanced at Q suspiciously with a raised eyebrow before proceeding along the trail. They came to a familiar patch of foliage where he had once pointed out the location of the holodeck's back wall to Commander Riker. However, something seemed to be very different and Q seemed to realize that. Data slowly bent down to pick up a large rock and Q promptly moved out of the way. Data hurled the rock towards what should have been the wall. Instead of hitting it with a thud, the rock continued to travel and landed in some bushes in the distance. Data realized that there was no wall! He grimaced slightly as he pondered the possible reasons for the occurrence. He then quickly turned his attention to Q and inquired.

"We are not on the holodeck?" Data asked.

"Very good!" Q answered, "I was beginning to think you'd never figure it out. Notice anything else that's different around here?"

Data slowly turned in a circle, carefully inspecting the details of the forest and something in the distance caught his eye. It was an unusual structure. He quickly journeyed towards the small building before he realized that the dwelling was that of his father, Dr. Soong. He paused when he reached the entrance and noticed that once again Q had disappeared. Data cautiously entered the building which, at first glance, appeared to be empty. The inside of the building was very different than the last time he had seen it. It no longer looked like a lab. There were no longer scientific contraptions crammed into the space and the environment seemed to have a warmer and more inviting appeal. Data continued to glance around cautiously. Almost as a reflex, he made a move to grab for his phaser just in case, but he realized that he no longer had one — or needed one. He heard footsteps approaching from the next room and he expected to see his father, perhaps even his evil brother Lore. However, nothing could have prepared him for the sight that stood before him. Time itself seemed to become stationary and everything else that existed no longer seemed to matter.

"Data? Is that really you? It's been so long!" the soft voice greeted.

Data closed his eyes for a moment thinking that there was an anomaly in one of his processors, but when he reopened them, he realized that wasn't the case.

"Tasha?" he whispered tearfully as he slowly walked towards her.

She was not wearing her Starfleet uniform, but very flattering civilian's clothes. Her hair was as silky as ever and shimmered in the soft light. Data now stood directly in front of her, looking down into her dazzling eyes.

"Yes Data, it's —"

Before she could finish the sentence he grabbed her and kissed her tenderly and passionately on the lips. The sensation of her lips against his seemed new, as if he were kissing for the first time. Although, he had kissed many times before, the sensation was always lacking in emotion. The emotion of this moment seemed to enhance the intimacy of the kiss. Tasha didn't fight it, instead she wrapped her arms around Data as if welcoming him home. The duration of the kiss was immeasurable, but it didn't seem to matter to either of them. Eventually, Data managed to slowly release her from his kiss and they gazed into each others eyes.

"Tasha, there is so much I wish I could have told you. So many things I wish I could have said. I simply did not realize… how much I loved you, _always_ loved you." Data said as he sandwiched her hand with both of his own, "I love you so much. I simply did not… realize it until recently. I was so preoccupied with analyzing everything that I looked passed what was right in front of me. I –"

"Shh, it's okay." Tasha hushed softly as she gently placed a finger over his lips, "Data, I always knew that I loved you too. I was just too… afraid to pursue it. I was scared to lose control, to lose myself in you the way I did that night. I didn't think I deserved someone as good as you. Your perception of the world was so innocent... so different from mine. So, I pushed you away because I didn't … I didn't want to corrupt you. But Data, none of that matters now. All that matters is that we're together right now. We've been given another chance. We have forever to make up for what should've been."

Data couldn't contain himself any longer and gently pulled her in for another kiss. He held her so close as if trying to prevent anything from taking her away from him a second time. He embraced and caressed her with the maximum pressure he could safely apply to her body. For the first time, he could fully appreciate the soft, sweet scent of her perfume and the delicate yet intoxicating smell of her soft hair. As he stroked her hair and gently caressed her face; to him, it was a softness beyond compare. Data was hungry for her and couldn't wait any longer to explore her completely, to experience her physically and emotionally. He swept her into his strong arms and carried her into the bedroom, from which she had initially emerged. He gently lowered her onto the bed and lay closely alongside her. As Tasha helped him to remove his uniform, he felt her hands glide gently down his chest and around to his back. It triggered sensations that seemed beyond electric and he swelled with unbridled excitement. He gently, but eagerly peeled off her clothes as they continued to caress and shower one another with kisses – kisses that became progressively more passionate.

The two of them were finally able to unleash the passion they had repressed from each other for too long. They didn't worry about consequences, appearances or other things that no longer mattered. As he lay alongside her voluptuous body, Data shuddered ever so slightly when he became enveloped in her warmth. He traced and firmly grasped the smooth contours of her mounds as he gently bit the base of her neck, causing her to moan in exquisite arousal. She responded by gliding one hand down his muscular back while using the other to ruffle his all too perfect hair. Data lifted himself just enough to look at her face, which was flushed with color. Her eyes engagingly met his gaze, intently exuding mutual love and pure desire. Her skin glistened with tiny beads of perspiration. His arousal climbed even further when he saw a single bead of sweat trail from her neck down to the narrow valley of her cleavage. Tasha's hands drifted down from his disheveled hair, past his neck, down his glistening chiseled pectorals and finally stopped when it reached the lower portion of his hard, rippled abs. Her hands lingered for a moment before traveling to his strong shoulders. Gentle, electric sensations swirled deep within both of them, but soon faded. It teased them and beckoned them to alter their motion in order to seize the fleeting feeling.

As Data's movements suddenly became hungrier and more vigorous, Tasha panted for air, all the while repeatedly declaring her love for him. It was a declaration he readily reciprocated. The electric sensation returned. It increased in intensity and continued to build up in time to their rhythm. Their bodies became even more tightly intertwined as they held onto each other, surrendering to the repeated collision of their passion. Bracing herself for the inevitable, Tasha buried her face into Data's shoulder as he nuzzled her hair. The couple fed off each other's growing excitement and before long, the sweet, electric sensation had become nearly unbearable. Suddenly, the sensation radiated outward in an unrelenting burst. With a jolt, their bodies stiffened against each other. Tasha dug her nails into his sculpted back as she cried out in ecstasy. Her body arched backward before relaxing into Data's powerful arms, which supported her. At the same time, Data buried his head into her bosom and gasped sharply as he finally reached the peak of his unbridled passion. It was a blissful moment that seemed to freeze and extend beyond eternity. After they consumed all the enjoyment they could from the experience, Data rolled onto his back, positioned Tasha to lie on his chest and held her trembling body in his arms. He gazed down into her eyes and he noticed tears of joy flowing from them. Once again, the two declared their undying love for one another, before sharing a long, tender kiss. The intensity of the experience had taken its toll on Tasha and she eventually fell asleep. As he watched her, Data was filled with a contentment of having fulfilled one of his greatest desires; to share such an intimate moment physically and emotionally with someone he loved very deeply. It was meaningful and special; an unbreakable bond that would last forever.

* * *

The morning sun streamed across Data's face. As he opened his golden, opalescent eyes, they glinted in the light. He was once again surprised to find himself awakening from sleep. He turned to his left to look at Tasha, but there was nothing but the rumpled sheets and the dented pillow she had slept on. Data wasn't sure what sensation he felt at that moment, but he compared it to the sinking feeling humans often get when they fear they've just lost something precious. He leapt out of bed with breakneck speed, threw on a robe and dashed out of the bedroom to look for Tasha. He entered the living room and called frantically for her, but there was no answer. Data began to panic and he ran to exit the dwelling, but as soon as the door opened, he saw her outside gathering flowers. He immediately withdrew a long breath of relief. Data didn't think it was possible for Tasha to look more beautiful, but her appearance in the morning light seemed to defy his opinion. The way her hair caught the sun made her seem almost angelic. Feeling that she was being watched, she turned and saw Data watching her from the doorway. She got to her feet, approached him and greeted him with a loving kiss.

"Good morning lover." she greeted seductively.

"Why did you leave?" he asked softly.

"I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful." she gently replied.

"I was afraid I had… lost you again." Data replied as he held her close.

"Don't worry, that'll never happen. I guess you're stuck with me." Tasha said with a chuckle, "Come back inside, there's something I need to tell you. I didn't get the chance to do it last night — you didn't exactly give me a chance." she said with a mischievous smirk.

Seeing her smirk like that made Data recall the wonderful experience they shared the night before and he had a sudden, burning desire to repeat it at that very moment. However, he found the will-power to resist his urges since the tone of her voice indicated the importance of the information she had. But he could not determine how long his self-restraint would last. They entered the living room and she asked Data to sit on the sofa while she arranged the flowers in a vase on the table.

"What do you wish to tell me?" he inquired.

"Well, we're not exactly the only ones here Data." she replied as she joined him on the sofa.

"We are not?" he asked, to which Tasha gently shook her head. Data glanced around, "That is strange. I can not detect anyone else here."

"Well, they're not exactly —" but before Tasha could explain, the door hissed open.

Data became overjoyed as he saw the new arrival enter the house.

"Lal!" he exclaimed joyously.

"Father! You're here!" Lal replied happily.

They ran to each other and embraced tearfully. Tasha watched from a short distance, she smiled as father and daughter were reunited.

"Lal, I love you. I _love_ you. I could not say it before but I can say it now. I will say it as many times as necessary in order for you to understand!" Data cried.

"I love you too father! I knew you loved me too; you've always shown it to me whether you realized it or not. It's so good to see you again, I've missed you father!"

"I have missed you too!" he replied, "More than you will ever know."

Data and Lal mutually ceased their embrace, but Data held her hand until they walked further into the living room. He then looked at Tasha, who had not broken her loving smile.

"You knew about this? You know about Lal?" he asked her.

"Yes," Tasha answered, "I was surprised to find out that you had created a child. Data, creating a new life is a remarkable accomplishment. I'm so proud of you! Lal is very special. She's been great company. How can she be anything but? She reminds me so much of you!"

Lal and Tasha smiled at one another before exchanging a brief hug.

The three of them spent a wonderful day together exchanging experiences and fond memories. Tasha practically dragged Data to take a swim with her in the lake. He tried to tell her that he didn't have enough buoyancy to remain on the surface. However, she wouldn't take no for an answer. Wanting to please her, he obliged and was very surprised that he didn't sink to the bottom. They beckoned Lal to join them, but she seemed content with watching from the jetty as her feet dangled in the water. Tasha challenged him to a race and he, of course, nearly swam clear to the other side of the lake before she even reached the middle. Data doubled back for her and noticed that they were out of Lal's visual range. He took the opportunity to steal a long, romantic kiss as he and Tasha floated peacefully in the water.

Later that day, Tasha took turns playing chess with Data and Lal — both of whom repeatedly defeated her. When Tasha grew bored of the constant defeat, she requested that Data and Lal play a song on their violins. She sighed happily as she watched them play the most wonderful duet. Each note, each inflection was executed masterfully with perfect pitch and harmony. Eventually, they all helped set the dinner table. Data was puzzled as to why there were two additional place settings. Just as he was about to inquire, Tasha spilled something on the table and sent Data into the other room to get a towel from the linen closet. She made a funny comment about the mess and Data laughed heartily as he pushed a button to open the closet. When it opened, he quickly stopped laughing and he was instantly filled with panic. Instead of sheets and towels; he was once again in the gleaming white void.

"No! Damn you Q! Send me back! I want to go back to them now!" Data yelled furiously.

"Easy Data, I have no intention of holding you captive. You will rejoin your beloved family… if you so desire. But first, there is someone who wishes to speak with you privately before he joins the party." Q's sincere voice echoed from all around.

Suddenly a middle-aged man appeared, there was no doubt in Data's mind who it was.

"Father." Data said quietly, a perplexed look crossed his face.

Dr. Soong approached Data and after a brief moment, the two embraced.

"Data," he replied, "my son, you never cease to amaze me. I always knew that you were unique, but I never would have guessed that _this_ would ever work."

"May I ask, to what you are referring?"

"This!" Dr. Soong joyously replied with open arms, "Do you know how you got here Data?"

Data thought for a beat before he gave his answer.

"Captain Picard's life was in danger. I sacrificed myself so that he could live."

"That was a very courageous act, but that isn't the main reason why you're here."

"What exactly is… 'here'?" Data asked.

"I guess you could call it the afterlife, at least that's what I called it when I created it for you." Dr. Soong explained, "I felt it would be unfair to model an android so closely to resemble humans without including the possibility of an afterlife. But in order for the program to be activated, a remarkable set of events had to occur. If you're seeing me right now, that's proof that those events have in fact been put into motion. If you're seeing me right now, it means that although your body has been destroyed, a very important part of you has survived."

"Which part, father?"

"I created a very tiny backup, it contains all of your experiences. It was designed to remain dormant until the moment your system were to fail beyond repair or if you were to be destroyed. The material is so durable it can withstand very extreme conditions, it's virtually indestructible. The only problem is, I only had access to very small amounts, otherwise I would have used it in your entire construction. It was your death, in part, that activated this backup, this 'afterlife' as I call it."

"But how did you know about Lal and Tasha? How did you know about Q? How were you able to program all of them into the backup?" Data asked curiously.

"Oh, I didn't, but you did son."

"I am not sure if I understand." Data's face displayed immense confusion.

"The backup was initially a blank slate. As you lived out your life, the backup process gradually went into effect. After you installed your emotion chip, certain events, people and memories were imbedded into a special place in the backup. In a way, I guess you can say you've created your own heaven without even realizing it, but before you could get there you had to reflect on your life and see your triumphs and your failures. The end result is the culmination of everything you've desired for so long, the desire to become human." Dr. Soong held Data's face in his hands and looked into his eyes, "You see my son, you were always more human than you gave yourself credit for. Yet you've managed to accomplish more than most humans would dare dream possible."

Data regarded the information for a moment before asking his father another question.

"My friends are not yet dead, but will I be able to see them again someday?" Data asked.

"My son, you will be able to see them whenever you want. You won't have to wait until they're dead. But son, you didn't ask me about the other thing that activated your backup." Dr. Soong whispered.

"Yes father, what was it?"

"Love. The ability to love beyond limits and without restrictions."

Data looked down for a moment and smiled, he finally understood. He looked up to ask his father another question but he was gone. Data was standing in front of the linen closet holding a towel in his hand.

"Data? Data!" Tasha called.

He was yanked back to his reality as he saw the love of his life standing before him.

"Tasha." he replied softly.

"Where did you drift off too?" she asked.

"That does not matter," he answered as she smiled and took the towel, "what matters is that we are together now."

She smiled warmly and attempted to return to the dining room but he gently pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately. Her lips were still so warm and soft. It was still real to him, as real as he wanted it to be, as real as he needed it to be. They were interrupted by Lal, who cleared her throat.

"Tasha, what are your intentions toward my father?" Lal asked playfully, to which Data and Tasha chuckled.

"I didn't mean to interrupt; I just came to inform you that Grandfather and Grandmother have arrived." Lal stated before she promptly returned to the living room.

Data glanced at Tasha who tried to shrug innocently as if she didn't know what Lal was talking about, but he knew better. He kissed her again briefly before the two entered the living room. Sitting on the sofa were Data's mother Julianna and his father. Data's father appeared to be the same age as when Data last seen him alive — albeit much more robust. Julianna looked as lovely as ever and swiftly walked over to Data and greeted him with a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Well Data, I was beginning to think you two lovebirds would never invite us to visit!" she exclaimed happily before moving to give Tasha a warm hug.

Data was taken aback and struggled for words as Dr. Soong walked over and gave him a hearty hug.

"Hi son, how are you?" he greeted.

"I am fine. I could not be better. It is good to see you again father," Data's gaze shifted to Juliana, "and you too mother."

"Dinner's ready." Lal called from the dining room entrance.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm famished! It's been a long road you know." Data's mother replied.

"Yes. That it has been." Data replied mostly to himself with a soft smile.

As they gathered around the dinner table, they all engaged in pleasant conversation and enjoyed the sumptuous meal. As Data smiled at his family, he realized that he had never before felt so content, so complete. Suddenly everything froze and Q appeared next to him.

"Don't worry Data, I won't stay long." Q replied smoothly.

"Q, it is you again. I must say that I am puzzled as to why you are a part of my… 'backup', my afterlife. No offense, but you were not of… great significance to me."

"No offense taken Data. However, I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm not a part of your backup. I just wanted to… make sure that it started up. Let's just say I had to give it a little boost after that whole mess with the Scimitar. It wouldn't have been able to function without my help. Oh but enough about me, I'm not one to brag… at least not right this moment." Q chuckled.

"So, you are really here?"

"Why of course! Data, have you forgotten that I'm omnipotent?"

"Hmm. In that case, why did you not prevent my destruction and put me back on the Enterprise?" Data asked.

"Well Data, if that's what you really want…" Q replied casually as he prepared to snap his fingers.

"No Q! Wait! Please!" Data yelled frantically.

"What's the matter Data?" Q asked.

"I think I understand… why you did not prevent the events that led me here. Right now, I have everything I have desperately sought all my life yet could not obtain. I now possess everything I have always wanted. If I go back to the way things were, there is no guarantee that I will have it again." Data replied.

"Are you sure about that?" Q asked, his fingers still poised to snap.

Data glanced around the table at his parents, his daughter Lal, and Tasha — all of whom were frozen in mid-conversation. He smiled as he felt all the love that was present in the room. It was a contrast to what he would have if he chose to return to life. Sure he would be reunited with his friends, but there would surely be wars, battles and pain among other things he no longer wanted to be a part of.

"Absolutely." Data softly replied with happy tears as he looked at his family.

"As you wish Data, but don't be surprised if I stop by again one day… in case you change your mind." Q replied with a wink and vanished just as quickly as he appeared.

Data's parents, Lal and Tasha all resumed their meal and conversation as if nothing had happened.

"Juliana, you should've seen it, Data and Lal played perfectly! Maybe if they're feeling up to it, they can play something for you and Noonien." Tasha said.

"Well, if that's the case, then perhaps I could join them. I'm not so bad on the strings myself." Data's mother happily replied.

"You play the violin too? That's great! I would love to hear the three of you play! Noonien, do you play as well?"

"Nah, my talents appear to be restricted to the world of science and technology I'm afraid." Dr. Soong chuckled, "Tasha, you're family now. Please feel free to call me father."

After the meal was finished, they all gathered in the living room. Data stood between his mother and Lal and they were all poised with their violins, ready to perform. Data nodded to cue the beginning of their recital. As they played, the air was instantly filled with a beautiful song, a culmination of three generations of flawless musical talent.

As they continued to play, Data glanced out the window and into the starry sky. A single golden tear of joy trickled down his smooth, pale, opalescent-gold face. He hoped his friends on the Enterprise would someday understand why he hadn't returned to them. He hoped that they remembered that they would as long as they held him in their memories, and vice versa, they would forever remain connected. As he thought of them, he smiled and wished that they could see that he had finally reached his ultimate goal.

Meanwhile, somewhere in space, time progressed slowly but surely. The senior staff of the Enterprise gathered on Cygnus for a reunion. It was symbolic since that was the planet where they began their journey to exploration and friendship. Deanna Troi and Will Riker told funny stories about their new son, Captain Picard spoke of his new crew. He mentioned that although they were highly capable, they weren't the same as his original Enterprise crew. Beverly Crusher discussed her award-winning medical breakthrough. Worf spoke of his son's decision to join Starfleet. Geordi LaForge spoke of his pending nuptials and how he wished Data were alive to be his best man. After Geordi's statement, there was an awkward silence as they all realized how much they still missed their beloved android friend.

"You know, I never told anyone about this, but a few days after we lost him, I had this strange dream." Geordi said, "I was in some kind of forest and I heard these… violins playing. It was the most beautiful music I've ever heard in my life. I mean, it sounded… _exactly_ like how Data used to play, only there were —"

"Three of them." Deanna interrupted, she had a puzzled look on her face.

"Yeah. That's right. Are you reading my mind again counselor?" Geordi asked with a faint chuckle.

"No, I had the same dream." she replied.

"Me too," Beverly slowly agreed, looking equally as puzzled, "It was so beautiful, I actually woke up crying!"

As they looked around at one another with shock, they all realized that they had the exact same dream. When they discussed it further, they discovered that they all had the dream at the exact same time; just days after Data sacrificed himself for the Captain.

"I remember that forest." Will replied, "It was the same forest in the holodeck program where I first met Mr. Data. He told me that when he would go there, he would almost feel human. But there was something different about it, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It just seemed so… so —"

"Real?" Worf asked.

"Yes, exactly." Will quickly answered.

"How is it possible for all of us to have dreamt of the same exact thing at _precisely_ the same time?" Captain Picard asked.

"I don't know Captain," Deanna answered, "but perhaps it was some sort of sign. A sign that Data's not really gone, that he's… alright."

"A sign he knew we would all need." Geordi softly replied, "But it didn't just stop at the dream, that's why I brought it up. Two days ago I received a subspace message, but it was blank; and I could've _sworn_ that I heard the music again! Then yesterday, I actually _saw_ him — and I was wide awake! At first I thought there was a problem with my ocular implants, but they checked out fine."

Tears began to stream down Deanna's face.

"Geordi," she said, her voice trembled slightly, "did he... ask you something?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact he did. How did you — " Geordi answered.

"What did he ask you?"

"Well, he asked me… if I was alright and if I understood."

Deanna began to cry and Will held her close.

"I heard it too Geordi!" she cried, "It was like I was there when he spoke to you. I thought I was imagining things, but I heard him speak to you!"

Upon further discussion, it was discovered that Captain Picard had also received similar messages on his new ship. At the time he attributed it to junior officers playing games with the communications system. However, upon listening to the experiences of Geordi and Deanna, he knew that was not the case. No one else in the group received such messages. They surmised that it was due to Data's very close friendship with Geordi and the Captain.

As they all sat in silence, they remembered their friend. They recalled the rich sounds of the violins as if they were being played at that very moment. They dared not pry further as to how their friend had managed to communicate to them. It was decided that they would not taint the experience with logic or theory. They would simply accept it for what they believed it meant; that Data wasn't completely gone.

Through the years that followed, they would still dream of the peaceful forest and lovely violin symphony on occasion. The clarity, beauty and essence of the harmony never seemed to fade. It was their constant reminder that Data was still present in their hearts and memories and would remain there forever.

_For the alternate conclusion, continue reading the subsequent chapters_


	2. Chapter 2: The Bridge of Hope

**Chapter Two: The Bridge of Hope **

It had been a little over two years since Data's valiant sacrifice and Geordi still couldn't get used to the idea of having his identical brother, B-4, around. He and the former senior staff of the Enterprise often took turns caring for the android. However, since Geordi had the most experience with the technology, he spent the most time with B-4 and attempted to enhance his processors, but to no avail. Thinking back to the day when Data appeared to him in a vision, Geordi realized that he had lied to Data's questions; if he was okay and if he understood. Although Geordi understood the reason behind Data's decision, he was still not entirely okay. Despite the joy of his recent marriage and the pending birth of his first child, Geordi still felt a sense of something missing and whenever he looked at B-4, he saw a physical reminder of the friend he lost. At times, his hope wavered and he'd wish that Data were there to help him. Once in a while, he would accidentally call B-4 by Data's name. B-4 still seemed to have trouble figuring out why some people would do this at times. B-4 didn't seem to understand the concept of death and mortality. Whenever someone would die, he would ask when they were going to return. He would often ask why it was taking so long for his brother Data to return.

"Why have you called me 'Data'?" B-4 would inquire, but it was always too awkward to give him anything other than an apology for the confusion.

"You will be able to tell the difference between me and my brother when he comes back from the dead place." he'd also say at times.

Geordi spent much time with B-4. He always struggled with the fact that although he was looking at the likeness of his friend Data, it was not him. B-4's language and behavior were improving very slowly, but overall, he was still painfully child-like and rudimentary. Since his comprehension levels were far less advanced than Data's, he would often initiate an endless barrage of questions. This would often prove exhausting for those who were on the receiving end of the constant queries.

Geordi had been temporarily reassigned to a new ship to oversee a warp core replacement. As he was aligning it, he realized that something was seriously wrong. A series of problems ensued and led to the ship's rapid lost of antimatter containment. The situation looked grim. The ship shook violently and sent several crew members tumbling over.

It was relatively dark, with the exception of flashing emergency lights. Fatality reports were coming in from all over the ship. Geordi was in Engineering, working anxiously to prevent a warp core breech, but nothing appeared to be working. The ship's First officer was badly injured and the Captain was constantly contacting Geordi about the situation, thus adding to the stress. Although his mind was racing to save the ship and the crew, he spared a moment to try to think of what his friend Data would have done if he were there. Especially since Geordi was sure that he and Data had solved a similar problem years ago. However, the solution eluded Geordi. It was as if his memory had been wiped of that event. Suddenly, B-4 entered Engineering while cradling Spot, Data's cat, in his arms; and appeared to be confused about all the activity. He glanced at the flashing lights with immense curiosity.

"Is it a game Geordi?" B-4 replied in his child-like voice and a vacant expression on his face, "Can I play too?"

"B-4, this is _not_ a game! I need you to leave now so we can work here." Geordi replied abruptly as he continued to work.

"Geordi, are you angry with me? Have I done something wrong?" B-4 asked flatly as he followed Geordi.

"Can somebody get him out of here?!" Geordi called to the other engineers before he proceeded to work feverishly on calculations and conversions.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a lone forest residence Data was just waking up for the day. The golden sunlight streamed through the window and onto Tasha's silky, blonde hair. She was still sleeping peacefully and Data kissed her gently on the cheek. He then slid quietly out of bed so as not to wake her; he had planned to prepare breakfast. Before he exited the bedroom, he turned to look at her once again; a ritual he did almost every morning. As he proceeded to cross the living room, he began to feel weird as if the room were violently shaking. He managed to stagger over to the sofa and sit. It was a feeling he'd never experienced before; no wait, he _had_, but it was during his time of service on the Enterprise. When Data looked up, he saw Q standing before him. 

"Q, it is you… _again_." Data replied flatly.

"Yes, Data. Didn't I tell you last time, not to be surprised if I stopped by again? Well, here I am!" Q replied with a smile.

"If you are wondering if I have changed my mind about remaining here, I have not."

Data felt the sensation of the room shaking again.

"Q, what is happening?"

"Oh, so you can feel that? Does it feel familiar to you?"

Data nodded. "But why am I feeling this here? This is not a starship."

"No, it's not, but he needs you again Data. He needs your help."

"Who does?"

"Let me show you…" Q replied as he poised his fingers to snap, "keep in mind, I'm about to show you what will happen if you choose to do nothing."

Before Data could inquire, Q snapped his fingers and Data was suddenly on a starship. However, it wasn't the Enterprise as he'd expected, but another ship. There were injured and dead crewmembers strewn about the ship. As he witnessed the devastation, it caused him intense emotional pain that he didn't have the luxury of shutting off. Data felt extremely saddened by the unfolding scene and wanted to return to his peaceful existence in the forest with Tasha and his family. Everything around him seemed to be happening at four times the rate of normal speed, yet he felt as if he were moving in slow motion. He looked at one of the consoles and saw that there was an imminent threat of a warp core breach and that none of the emergency escape systems were operational. Unless someone could repair the damage to the warp core, everyone on the ship would surely die. When Data entered Engineering, he saw Geordi sweating profusely and working harder than he'd ever seen.

"Damn it! Why can't I remember how to do this?!" Geordi screamed in frustration as he pounded the console.

The computer began to countdown to the crew's destruction and then there was a brilliant white light that engulfed everything. The light seemed very familiar to Data; it was like the light he had seen after the day he rescued Captain Picard from the Scimitar. Q stood before him in silence. However his face did not wear the smile he had earlier.

"Q, I can not allow Geordi to die." Data said somberly.

"Well, what do you expect to do about it?"

"I do not know. Since I no longer exist in physical form, I suppose there is not much I can do."

"Data, once again, I'm here to prove you wrong. You still limit yourself despite all I've shown you thus far."

"Are you suggesting that I _can _help Geordi? How?"

"Sometimes, all you need is a bridge. I can show it to you, but only you can cross it. I can't make you do it."

Data closed his eyes for a moment and when he reopened them, they were once again inside his forest residence. He sighed happily as he crept towards the bedroom and saw that Tasha was still sound asleep. After a brief moment, he rejoined Q in the living room.

"Alright Q, what do I have to do to save Geordi?" Data asked, to which Q smiled.

"Okay Data, but once you get there; you must not mention anything about me to anyone. I'm not supposed to directly interfere in the affairs of your friends; the Q would strip me of my omnipotence if I were to do that. That's why I came here for your assistance. Please, sit down." Q replied. Data slowly sat on the sofa and Q sat beside him and waved his hand over his face, "Now just close your eyes and…"

* * *

Back in engineering, Geordi was still struggling to solve the problem. For some reason the warp core wouldn't eject and one idea after another would fail. The computer continued to count down and they were reminded that if they failed to correct the problem, they would die in less than four minutes. Somehow, B-4 was able to re-enter Engineering. Geordi became furious when he became aware of the distraction. 

"B-4, I thought I told you to —" Geordi began to yell but B-4 interrupted him.

"It is good to see you again Geordi." B-4 replied softly as he bypassed Geordi and walked straight to the console and vigorously began pressing buttons.

"B-4, what the hell are you doing?! Get away from there!" Geordi yelled, all the while thinking 'I don't have _time_ for this nonsense!'

Geordi attempted to move B-4's hands away from the console. However, B-4 gently, but firmly seized Geordi's hands instead and looked knowingly into his eyes.

B-4 then described to Geordi how to perform an unorthodox, complicated procedure to bypass certain functions in order to eject the warp core while he attempted to bring the impulse drives back online. Geordi, stared at B-4 with utter shock and he realized that something was very different about the android. As he watched B-4 skillfully operate the console, he noticed that his hand movements were no longer awkward and rudimentary, but were moving as rapidly as Data's, perhaps even faster! B-4 realized he was being watched, cocked his head slightly and looked over at Geordi.

"Geordi, are you alright? Do you understand?" B-4 asked, his voice no longer childlike and awkward, but smooth and authoritative.

The questions sent shivers down Geordi's spine and he was frozen with shock. Those were the same questions Data had asked him when he appeared to him after his death. "Data, oh my God!" Geordi whispered.

"Geordi, I am afraid we are short on time. Did you understand my suggestions?" B-4 repeated, at which time Geordi snapped out of it and quickly proceeded with B-4's instructions.

As Geordi did what B-4 had recommended, he couldn't help but wonder how Data had returned in B-4's frame. As he continued to work on the sequence to eject the warp core, tears fell onto the console. Not a moment too soon, the warp core was successfully dumped. Data had somehow reengaged impulse drives and the ship was able to move away from the ejected warp core before it exploded. As the rest of the crew worked on the other systems and cleaned up the aftermath, Geordi slowly approached B-4.

"Data?" Geordi half asked, half stated.

Data said nothing for a moment before he hugged his friend.

"Yes Geordie, it is me." Data answered.

"But how —"

"I am afraid I can not explain." Data replied as he ended the embrace.

"Data, thanks for your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

"That is incorrect." Data replied with a slight smile, "You already knew what you needed to do, but you somehow forgot. You somehow… stopped believing in yourself. "

Geordi placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, it's been really tough working without my left hand." Geordi replied, to which Data looked at Geordi's hands before he realized it was a figure of speech, "Data, I've missed you so much buddy!" Geordi exclaimed as he choked back tears, "If I'd have known you could get into B-4's frame, I would've postponed my wedding."

A broad, surprised smile spread across B-4's face.

"You have married?" Data asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah, a little over a year ago, _and_ I'm going to be a father!"

"Geordi, that is wonderful! I am happy for you! I can not wait to tell —" Data said before he stopped himself before he said Tasha's name.

"Tell who Data?"

"Never mind. Tell me, how has B-4 been doing? Is he making progress?"

"Very little progress, but he's very inquisitive I'll give you that much. I guess it runs in the family." Geordi said with a quiet chuckle, "But he's been taking very good care of Spot."

"Yes, I am aware of that. I was holding Spot when I… arrived here. I have noticed that she has gained weight since I last saw her. It was certainly very nice to see her again." Data replied with an affectionate smile, "She is safe in the quarters of B-4, where I left her before arriving here in Engineering."

Suddenly, Data began to feel strange, it was almost as if he saw static for a moment, but the feeling subsided. He somehow knew his time was limited, and he placed a hand on Geordi's shoulder.

"Geordi, you do know that since I am no longer… present in your life in the way I once was, there is no reason to lose yourself. I am fine, but it is still important to me that you still maintain your optimism... your hope. You would not be the same person without it and I would be very sad if that were to happen to you. It was my choice for things to be this way. Do you understand?"

Geordi's bottom lip quivered as the struggle to hold back his emotions began to take its toll.

"Yes Data," he replied as he wiped his tears, "I understand… and I'll be okay."

Data close his eyes for a moment and smiled with elated relief as he put a hand on Geordi's shoulder.

"It has been really good to work with you again my friend! It was really… so good to see you again." Data replied with a tearful smile.

"I know Data, it was like old times huh?" Geordi replied, shedding happy tears of his own.

Suddenly, B-4's head jolted back and he collapsed to the floor.

"Data!" Geordi exclaimed as he knelt at B-4's side.

B-4 blinked his eyes a few times and looked around.

"Data, are you alright?" Geordi asked.

"Geordi," B-4 replied in his usual child-like voice, "I am B-4. Why have you again called me by the name of my brother?"

* * *

Meanwhile Data opened his eyes and found himself in bed next to Tasha, just as he had been before his latest adventure. 

"Hey sleepyhead." she said with a yawn before she kissed him, "That must've been some dream you were having."

Tasha and Data began to kiss and cuddle passionately when suddenly Tasha froze and Q appeared, lying across the foot of their bed.

"Q, this kind of intrusion is extremely… inappropriate." Data replied firmly, but not in anger.

"Oh, don't worry I won't stay for the show. I just wanted you to know that you were not there to save the lives on that ship. Your purpose was to give new hope to a man who so desperately needed it for his future… and the futures of many others." Q replied.

"But the warp core —"

"Would have been ejected anyway. Geordi would have come up with the solution in time. I showed you what you needed to see in order for you to help him; to help him restore belief and faith in himself. That will be something he'll be able to pass down to other Generations."

Data was baffled by Q's revelation and one question came to mind.

"Q, I am curious. In what way does this benefit you?"

Q simply smiled, but did not divulge an answer. With a snap, he disappeared and Tasha resumed nuzzling against Data as if nothing had happened, but he of course, pondered Q's statement and wondered what it was he had to gain. After a few moments, the thoughts faded, leaving only Tasha to occupy his thinking.

* * *

B-4 was sitting in engineering and Geordi was performing a very thorough diagnostic on him. He was determined to find out what could've possibly caused Data to emerge through B-4's frame, but he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. 

"Alright, we're done." Geordi said, as he closed the panel in the android's head.

"Now can we play a game Geordi?" B-4 asked.

"Uh, maybe later alright?"

"Alright Geordi."

B-4 walked away while humming a song and Geordi smiled as he thought of ways to explain the remarkable occurrence to his former Enterprise colleagues. He also beamed with hope as he thought of the arrival of his unborn son, whom he planned to name Datius LaForge.


	3. Chapter 3: Heaven Can Wait

**Chapter Three: Heaven Can Wait**

Data went out for a morning stroll in the woods as he often did. After returning to the dwelling, he was greeted by Tasha. The two had breakfast together, but Data barely touched his food. His mind was clearly preoccupied. Something seemed strange to him.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Tasha.

"I do not know." Data asked with a furrowed brow, "Something seems… different, yet I do not know what that may be."

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No. You are…" Data said before thinking for a moment, "…_perfect._ Everything is perfect."

His face scrunched with a very contemplative look. He realized that everything was _too _perfect. Tasha rose from her seat and gave Data a kiss before proceeding to rearrange the furniture as she planned to do for some time.

"Tasha, please. The furniture is heavy. Allow me to move it for you." Data replied as he joined her. It was as much an attempt to gauge her response as it was to assist in her efforts.

"Sure, Data. Thanks." Tasha replied before backing away.

At that moment, Data had an epiphany.

"It is _too_ perfect." Data said very quietly to himself. He knew the real Tasha would have fought him tooth and nail to move the furniture herself. It was her nature to be strong, independent and in control.

Suddenly, Q appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey, why the long face?!" he greeted.

"Something is wrong. Something has changed." Data replied.

"Data. The only thing that's changed is you. Let me guess, you're no longer satisfied with being here, are you? Is it no longer sufficient?"

"It is more than sufficient. It is perfect…_too _perfect. It is… not real."

"What makes you say that?"

Data regarded Tasha, who was suspended in time, before giving his answer.

"She is not really here. Nor is any of this."

"Oh Data, you knew that going in!" Q exclaimed, "It seemed to be good enough for you two years ago, but I see that's changed." Q waved his hand and the door slid open, revealing nothing but bright light, "Do you wish to… _expand_ you horizons?"

"What do you mean?"

"Data, by remaining here, you're limiting yourself. You can have so much more. All you have to do is make a decision. Remain here, or take a chance by walking outside that door."

"What lies on the other side of it?"

"The unknown. In your case, the previously unattainable!"

Data looked at Tasha once more, then the photo of his parents and his daughter Lal.

"I believe… it would be best if I remained here." Data answered.

"Data, Data, Data! Was it not you who quoted _'This above all; to thine own self be true.'?_ You, yourself, admitted that you would never want to 'compound one illusion with another'. To go back on your philosophy now would be absurd." Q said.

"Q, was it not you who brought me here in the first place?" Data replied, clearly annoyed.

"Yes, but it was a combined effort with the technology provided by your creator… _as much as I'd like to take all the credit._ I have my reasons for doing so. I can't force you to make a decision, obviously. If I could, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. I'll give you some time to think it over." Q said and with a snap, he was gone.

Data was in a daze, but was brought out of it by Tasha's touch.

"What's wrong, Data?"

"Tasha, what would you say if I had to leave?"

"I had a feeling this would come up someday." She sighed, "If it's something you feel you really have to do, I support you with all my heart. I'll miss you greatly, but if you'll be happy, so will I."

"What if… I never see you again?"

"Oh, you will. You're connected to me, your parents, Lal… such connections don't fade over time or even several lifetimes, even when we think we forget about them. They're always there. I get the feeling you've already made your decision though."

"Yes… I have. I am sorry, Tasha."

"No, Data. Don't be sorry. You should _never_ be sorry for being true to yourself."

Data kissed Tasha passionately on the lips before slowly making his way to the door. The light was so bright, it slightly distorted his silhouette. He looked back and saw Tasha smiling gently.

"It's okay, Data. I'll be fine as long as I know you're happy. This will always be here if you ever need or want to come back. That's what's so wonderful about this place!" She said as she outstretched her arms, "It remains constant… never disappearing… never changing; only when you want it to… or need it to."

Data smiled softly as he nodded, before walking out the door. He was instantly engulfed by the light.

**

* * *

**

Meanwhile, somewhere in space, the black, star studded sky lit up in a clash of green and red blasts. The visual effect was reminiscent of celebratory fireworks. However, there weren't fireworks, nor was there anything to celebrate. On the contrary, there was a furious battle at hand between a Borg cube and several federation vessels. The _USS Enterprise _would have been a welcome sight, as the flagship would have helped the federation vessels to make short work of the cube. However, the flagship was light years away.

The _USS Avian_ sustained significant damage. If not for a team of other Federation vessels, they would certainly have faced destruction, or worse — assimilation. The Borg cube did not explode and there were only moments of silence; a counter-climactic end to a raging battle. As the Avian scanned the Borg cube, they found only two life signs, one of them faint. An away team carefully scouted the Borg vessel to retrieve the surviving drones. The USS Avian had been instructed that in the event they had the opportunity to retrieve Borg technology, they should do so. The Federation hoped to develop a significant defense system against them. The team discovered the source of the fainter of the two life signs, an adult female. She was seriously injured and hunched over something small. It took four Starfleet officers to pry it away from her only to realize it wasn't a thing… but a small baby with implants next to his right eye and left ear.

"My God!" One of the officers exclaimed in horror, "It's just a baby! They assimilate babies too?! I thought those were just rumors."

"It's clear the so-called rumors are all too true. Come on, let's get these two back to the ship."

The medical team on the _USS Avian _was able to successfully able to remove all of the implants from the infant except for the one lodged in his brain. The staff feared that any attempt to remove it would result in irreparable brain damage. Much to their surprise, his skin healed many times faster than normal. Although the medical staff was pleased to see the child heal so well, they were also concerned about his origins. The surviving female drone didn't fare as well. Her injuries were much too severe to repair. She survived for a few days after the fierce battle. The Avian's captain and first officer tried on numerous occasions to get the female to reveal the origins of the infant, but she refused to answer. However, she stated that the child was the missing step in Borg-human perfection. She also vowed that the Borg would hunt the _Avian_ as long as the child remained aboard their ship.

The child was given the name Nestor and was adopted by the ship's captain, Adrienne Logan. Nestor was a very intelligent child with a very curious nature. He would question everything. The ship's crew found it refreshing for the most part, but there were times when Nestor's questions became overwhelming. Nevertheless, the captain felt that Nestor would make a fine addition to Starfleet someday.

In addition to being insatiably inquisitive, Nestor was also the adventurous type with a strong penchant for humor and music. He loved to play in the holodeck. Nestor often got into mischief by overriding the holodeck restrictions so he could play games like Parises Squares _way_ before he was of the proper age to do so. One time, the _Avian's _Chief Medical Officer walked into the holodeck to check on him and nearly had a heart attack when he saw him take a nasty fall that would have broken the legs of a fully grown man. Nestor wailed for a few brief moments before getting to his feet and making another attempt at his dangerous feat.

"Nestor! What are you doing?! Are you trying to get yourself killed!" Exclaimed the doctor, "Come, let me have a look at you."

Upon evaluating the little boy, the doctor was surprised to find no broken bones, fractures or even bruises!

"Doctor, I'm fine. I'm playing a new level of the game. I couldn't foresee the unpredictable pattern. It won't happen again. I'll be better prepared next time."

"Why can't you talk like a normal ten year old boy? Anyway, you're right, Nestor. It _won't _happen again because you'll be grounded from participating in _any_ holodeck activities once the captain hears of this!"

"Come on! Do you _have _to tell the captain?" Nestor whined.

"Now you sound more like your own age. Unfortunately for you, all injuries and holodeck mishaps must be reported to the commanding bridge officer. Since it's the captain's watch, I'm afraid it will be reported to her."

"You _don't _have to tell her." Nestor replied with a mischievous smile, "There are no injuries for you to report and the holodeck is operating properly."

For a moment, the doctor almost considered Nestor's words until he realized the obvious.

"Not so fast, smart guy. This program is not operating properly if it allowed you to participate in a level that's much too dangerous for someone your age. The holodecks will likely be shut down and checked for problems to ensure this doesn't happen again."

Nestor looked at his feet before speaking again.

"Doctor, it wasn't the holodeck… it was me. I overrode the age restrictions."

"Nice try. Do you honestly expect me to believe…?"

"Computer, reset age restriction to the default setting." Nestor ordered the computer.

'_Holodeck age restriction has been reset to default settings.'_ The computer complied. The doctor's eyes grew wide with shock.

"How the hell was he able to do that?!" Capt. Logan asked; her eyes wide with extreme shock.

"Captain, I wish I knew. He tried to explain it to me, but I couldn't understand a thing. I'm a doctor, not a computer engineer." The doctor explained, "Frankly I'm shocked at his mental capacity and his physical endurance and strength surpasses that of a normal ten year old child."

"Can this have anything to do with the Borg implant in his brain?"

"I doubt it captain. The implant was shown to be inactive when we scanned it ten years ago. Even so, in light of recent developments in his mental and physical advancements, I'd like to have Nestor come to sickbay for a full evaluation. "

"You're not going to turn my son into a lab rat are you doctor?" the captain asked warily.

"Absolutely not, captain. I just want to be sure there's not an adverse reason for these occurrences. You must admit, these are unusual circumstances."

"Do you think Nestor's developments have something to do with what the Borg female said years ago; that he's the missing link in Borg-Human perfection?"

The doctor furrowed his brow as he thought for a moment.

"I don't know. Then again, she also said that we'd be hunted as long as he remains on this ship. Thankfully, that hasn't come to pass." He answered.

"Not yet anyway. The Borg have a tendency to keep their promises, doctor. If what they said about Nestor is true, they will undoubtedly return. When they do, I'll be ready. Nestor is not my son by birth, but I will gladly give my life for him. I agree to the evaluation, but I wish to speak with him before you begin." Capt. Logan replied before calling Nestor into her ready room. Nestor walked in and nervously sat in a chair across from her.

"Nestor, do you know why I've called you here?" asked the captain.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'm here to receive a reprimand for my adverse behavior."

"No. You're here because you're in big trouble."

Nestor scrunched his face in confusion for a moment.

"But, isn't that the same thing?"

"Not really, since I'm speaking to you as your mother, not as a captain."

"Uh oh, it's worse than I thought." Nestor replied glumly.

"You bet it is, mister, because as of now, your holodeck privileges are revoked until further notice."

"But Mom…!" Nestor protested, but was interrupted.

"No 'but's. Now, the doctor will escort you to sickbay for a check-up. I'll join you shortly."

After the examination was complete, the doctor determined that Nestor was in extraordinary health. Nestor's respiratory, circulatory and immune systems were all at least twice as efficient as an ordinary boy his age. The doctor came to the conclusion that Nestor would outlive everyone on the ship by at least two times! If nobody knew how special Nestor was before then, they certainly knew it after the doctor's findings.


	4. Chapter 4: All is not Lost

**Chapter 4: All is not Lost**

For years to come, Nestor continued to develop extremely well and excelled in all his studies with little effort. Occasionally, the Avian faced off with Borg adversaries seeking his return. However, Capt. Logan was always able to somehow evade them. It was a lucky streak she feared would run out someday. As a teenager, Nestor found it difficult to fit in with his peers since they found him to be intimidating. No one could compete with him, mentally or physically and it made them quite envious.

During his time at the academy, Nestor began to have nightmares. He'd often wake up in a cold sweat, not remembering what his dream was about. Eventually, he would remember the nightmares with unbelievable clarity. It was about a bright light swallowing him whole. He couldn't feel anything in the dream, but the thoughts were overwhelmingly sad. The dream would always start out the same way, with him staring at an empty space before being surrounded by a bright light and intense feelings of melancholy and nostalgia. The dreams made no sense to him, but they carried with them a sense of familiarity that was unsettling to say the least.

He eventually spoke to his adoptive mother, Capt. Logan, about the nightmares. She deduced that it was simply his anxiety playing in his dreams, but he felt it was something more — much more. He spent all of his spare time analyzing his dreams each time learning more and more about things he'd originally over looked. Eventually, he grew to develop issues with his identity. Capt. Logan thought it was due to the lack of a father figure in Nestor's life. She desperately hoped it was just a phase, but it lasted for years to come, even during his service as a Starfleet Ensign. He was not satisfied with being an Ensign, he wanted more. He wanted to be a commanding officer, working nonstop to try to prove his worth and was eventually promoted to Lieutenant after years of exemplary service. His mother became increasingly worried about her son. He became obsessed with his work with Starfleet as well as analyzing his dreams until one day he requested a transfer.

"Why? Aren't you happy here, Nestor?" Capt. Logan asked.

"No, Captain. I'm afraid not. I don't feel like I belong here anymore. I feel like I can be of greater use elsewhere."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know… I just _feel _it."

"Nestor…"

"Please, do not call me Nestor. For some reason, it feels… uncomfortable to me now."

"Well, too bad! _I_ gave you that name out of love the day I adopted you. You might be willing to abandon your life here on the _Avian_, but I refuse to allow you to throw away your name!" the Captain exclaimed, choking back tears.

"I will not be abandoning anything. However, I have a strong feeling I belong elsewhere." Nestor replied.

"Listen, Nestor. Just because you're thirty years old, that doesn't give you the right to walk all over what's been given to you. No recent self discovery will change that. Is this about a girl or something, is that it? Do you feel the need to change your name in order to impress her?"

"Yes… and no."

"Alright, what's her name?"

Nestor stared at his mother for a moment before giving his answer: "The Enterprise."

Nestor's mother probably would have fainted is she weren't already sitting down.

"_The Enterprise?_ The Federation flagship? What could you possibly have to do there?"

"I… don't know. I just know that I must get to the ship. That's where I belong."

"I'm sorry, Nestor. I have to deny your request. I can't have you gamble your entire career on a few dreams you've had."

"They were more than dreams, mother! There is something I have to do on the Enterprise but I don't know what it is! Why can't you understand that?!" Nestor bellowed. He only addressed her as 'mother' when he was upset, otherwise, he'd call her 'Captain', 'Mom' or 'Ma'am'.

"Nestor, do _not_ raise your voice at me! Understood?" Capt. Logan said sternly.

Nestor hung his head in shame for raising his voice at his mother.

"Yes, I understand. I apologize. However, you fail to understand that my dreams are not trivial."

"I never said they were, Nestor. Look, you've been working much too hard lately. Maybe you should take a few days to relax, maybe go on a nice date or something."

"No! I…" Nestor said before he lowered the frustrated tone of his voice, "I do not want to relax or go on dates. I want to be transferred to the Enterprise."

"The Enterprise will can't protect you like I can. If the Borg…"

"The Borg haven't returned since I was a child. Surely they won't…" Nestor said before the ship was violently jolted. All systems went to red alert.

The captain rushed to the bridge, looked at the view screen and saw a Borg cube firing upon her ship. She ordered all hands to battle stations before hailing the cube.

"Return the one you've stolen from us thirty years ago. His return to us is long overdue." The Borg ordered in unison, in a garbled voice.

"This is the captain. Back away from my ship or I'll be forced to fire."

"You are no match for us, Captain. If you fail to cooperate, you will be destroyed. We would prefer the one to be dead than to be enslaved in a life of imperfection." Replied the Borg.

"Something tells me that will happen whether we cooperate or not." The captain said to herself before she disengaged communication with the Borg.

At that moment, Nestor saw something in the distance. There was some sort of tear in the sky and a vessel was on the other side of it. He recognized it as the Enterprise! He managed to leave the bridge unnoticed.

"Prepare to fire!" Capt. Logan instructed her security officer, who armed photon torpedoes on her mark.

There was a brief volley of firing between the Borg vessel and the _Avian_ before the Borg ceased fire and hailed the captain. It was a very unusual move for the Borg.

"Captain, you have made a wise decision to return what is rightfully ours. Such wisdom will make a fine addition to our collective." The Borg replied.

"What? I didn't…" The captain started to say, but was interrupted with some unsettling news.

"Captain, there is an unauthorized shuttle launch in progress." The security officer informed.

"Nestor!" the captain hissed before turning to the security officer, "Pull it in with a tractor beam!"

"I can't, sir. The tractor beam controls have been locked out!"

"Damn it!"

Just then, the captain was hailed on a secure channel… it was Nestor.

"Nestor, what the hell are you doing?! Get back here immediately!" Capt. Logan ordered.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. The Borg will be distracted by me. You can use it as an opportunity to leave this area at warp nine. There is a distortion behind the Borg vessel. Beyond that distortion is the Enterprise. I plan to go there. Captain… _Mom_, I love you."

"Nestor, no!" The captain exclaimed just before he disengaged communication.

She watched helplessly as the Borg attempted to lock on to Nestor's shuttle with a tractor beam, but he implemented an unexpected maneuver and sped past the cube. Aggravated, the Borg altered course to follow Nestor into the distortion while firing upon him.

"Follow them! I'll be damned if I let them get him again!" the captain ordered.

Once all three vessels cleared the distortion, the Enterprise joined in the fight. However, the shuttle sustained heavy damage and exploded. Capt. Logan was beside herself with grief and anger. Furious, she ordered her crew to fire at the cube with everything her ship had. The combined firepower of the _Avian_ and the _Enterprise_ destroyed the cube. Afterwards, the _Enterprise _hailed the _Avian._

"This is Capt. Jean-Luc Picard of the _USS Enterprise_. Do you need assistance with your injured?"

"Hello, Capt. Picard. This is Capt. Logan of the _USS Avian._ My crew is fine except for one person. I'm afraid the Borg have killed my son." She said tearfully.

"Your son? The person traveling in the shuttle?" Picard asked and Capt. Logan nodded, "Captain, I am pleased to inform you that your son was beamed aboard our ship shortly before his shuttle exploded. Our doctor is on her way to treat him as we speak.

Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher ran to sickbay. When she entered, she noticed that her staff were all crying profusely and she feared the worst.

"No, don't tell me we've lost him already!" she replied as she walked over to the bio-bed.

Nestor's clothing had been scorched off his muscular, statuesque body and he was naked except for a sheet covering him from the waist down. His fleshy peach colored skin however was miraculously unscathed. Tears streamed from Dr. Crusher's face as she regarded the handsome features of her unconscious new patient. With trembling hands, she smoothed back his mussed dark auburn hair and he moaned slightly at the sensation, though still unconscious. Seeing how the patient looked with his hair smoothed back nearly made the doctor's heart stop.

"Oh my God! Data?!" Dr. Crusher exclaimed before fainting.

Stay tuned for chapter 5...


	5. Chapter 5: Denial

**Chapter 5: Denial**

As Dr. Crusher's staff revived her, Nestor awoke and sat upright on the bio-bed.

"Are you alright?" Nestor asked as he stared at the doctor with his piercing blue eyes while raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

_That voice! It's Data's voice! But how did he become human, if in fact this is Data?_ Dr. Crusher thought to herself.

"I'm fine." She replied breathlessly while drying her eyes. "You're the patient. I should be asking you how you're…"

The doctor could no longer maintain a professional demeanor as she threw her arms around Nestor and embraced him tearfully.

"My gosh! We've missed you so much! I don't know how you ended up like this and I don't care. It's just so good to see you again!" She cried.

Nestor gently pushed Dr. Crusher away and looked at her a moment with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Have we met?" He asked.

Dr. Crusher was taken aback by the question and thought she may have been reading too much into a coincidental likeness between Nestor and the Enterprise's late Second Officer. Pulling away slowly, she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I… I'm sorry. I guess… I've mistaken you for someone else." She answered, not blinking once as she stared into his eyes as if in a trance.

At that moment, everything froze and Q appeared in the doctor's place.

"Oh, my! You've really melted into the new life you were given!"

"Q?!" Nestor exclaimed.

"I'm flattered! You remember me after all this time!" Q said with a cocky smile. "Now what about the rest of your friends? Do you remember them? Do you remember who you were—who you still are?"

Suddenly everything became clear to Nestor as the memories of his past life came flooding back to him; his activation by the Tripoli landing party on _Omicron Theta_, his days at the academy, his service on the Enterprise and his supposed death, which had recently haunted his dreams.

"Yes. I am Data." Nestor replied after cocking his head almost as a reflex, "But how…? I was raised from a baby as _Nestor. _Was that life a lie? Was it an illusion? Another one of your tricks?"

"No, no, no. Your life as Nestor was very real! As are you! You are here because _you_ made the decision to leave the limbo you've been existing in these past couple years. That was a very big step—one that has allowed you to experience life as a _human_. It's what you've _always_ wanted isn't it?"

"Yes. The experience has been wonderful yet difficult. However, I've never realized how truly wonderful and difficult it is to be human until I just remembered what it had been like to live life as an android."

"_The grass is always greener on the other side _isn't it?_" _Q quoted with a smile. "Well, my work is done here... for now."

With a flash, Q was gone and Beverly repeated the same thing she'd said prior to Q's unexpected conversation with Data.

"I… I'm sorry. I guess… I've mistaken you for someone else." She answered, not blinking once as she stared at him as if in a trance.

"No, you haven't, doctor. You're correct… I _am_ Data. I remember now. I remember you teaching me how to dance for Keiko's wedding. I also remember pushing you in the water during the nautical simulation on the holodeck — by the way, I'm still very sorry about that, doctor." Nestor replied as he held the doctor's shoulders.

She gasped quietly before nodding in silence and walking over to one of her more composed staff members.

"Please, get him something to wear and check his vitals okay? I need a moment." Dr. Crusher told her aid before swiftly exiting sickbay. She took two steps before leaning against the wall and sobbing anew as she stared at the ceiling. The doctor then called the captain.

"Jean-Luc. I need you to come to sickbay immediately. There's something you need to see."

"What is it doctor?" The captain asked.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you. You need to come see for yourself." She advised.

* * *

After Capt. Picard met with Nestor — who swore he was Data — the captain was beyond flabbergasted. He immediately beamed Captain Logan to the Enterprise and explained the situation.

"I don't believe this! People often noted the resemblance, but you're saying my son actually believes he's the reincarnation of your android?" Captain Logan asked.

"Yes, it would appear so." Captain Picard sighed.

"This must be some strange coincidence. I love my son and all, but this is absurd! Surely this must be impossible."

"I don't know. During my Starfleet career I've encountered many things I thought to be impossible and have been proven wrong. Experience has taught me not to rush to conclusions. Captain Logan, there are some tests our doctor would like to perform on Nestor. Hopefully, we can—"

"With all due respect, there's nothing your doctor can do that ours can't. Besides, when I adopted Nestor, we ran every test imaginable."

"Nestor isn't your biological child?" asked Captain Picard.

"No. I adopted him shortly after we discovered him on a Borg vessel. They had already assimilated the poor child. He was just a baby, no older than a few months. We successfully removed all of the implants except for the one in his brain. It was too dangerous for us to attempt to remove it and—" Capt. Logan finally realized something now that her grief had lifted. The Enterprise was much older than the other Federation vessels currently in commission. "Captain, what year is it?"

"It's 2381." Capt. Picard replied, his eyes narrowed inquisitively.

"Oh dear. Talk about a blast from the past!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I followed my son through a temporal distortion in order to get him back. Apparently it must've been a time rift. I'm from the year 2411. When you hailed my ship, I thought I was hearing things. Surely it couldn't be _the _Admiral Picard hailing me, but alas…" her voice trailed off in amazement. "Well, I guess since I'm now in the past, you're still _Captain_ Picard."

Captain Picard couldn't help but smile faintly at the thought of someday becoming an admiral.

"Admiral." He said quietly to himself.

"I'm sorry about my unwillingness to participate earlier, Captain. I will have my medical staff send Nestor's files to your Chief Medical Officer. I'm sure together we can figure out what's happening to my son."

* * *

Days went by as the _Enterprise_ and _Avian_ crew members worked tirelessly in an attempt to figure out the connection between Data and Nestor. It was an exhausting search as the _Enterprise _and _Avian_ medical teams combed through every file they had on Data and Nestor.

In the meantime, the former crew of the Enterprise gathered to meet Nestor. Capt. Picard, Capt. Riker of the _USS Titan_, Counselor Troi, Dr. Crusher, Cmdr. Geordi LaForge and Lt. Worf gathered in the observation lounge.

"Captain, what is this all about? You sounded pretty urgent in your communiqué, yet you refused to go into detail." Capt. Riker.

"And with good reason, Will. The Enterprise has recently come into contact with a visitor from our past." Capt. Picard stated.

The counselor shifted in her seat and frowned for a moment.

"What is it, Deanna?" asked Capt. Riker.

"I'm not sure. It feels so… strangely _familiar."_ She answered, her face etched with confusion.

"I'm afraid there's not much I can do to prepare you for whom you're about to meet, but I'll do my best. We have recently encountered a Federation vessel called the _USS Avian_." Capt. Picard gestured to Capt. Logan for a moment. "This is Captain Logan. She commands that ship, which has traveled through a time rift from the year 2411. The visitor I'm referring to is her son, Nestor. Her crew rescued him from a Borg vessel when he was just an infant and successfully removed all but one of the implants. However, we now suspect Nestor's identity to be different than otherwise believed."

"Wait a minute, you said you've come into contact with someone from our past. How can that be, if Nestor's from the future?" Geordi asked.

At that time, the captain summoned Nestor into the room and everyone gasped – everyone except for the doctor, Capt. Picard and Capt. Logan.

"No. This can't be. Data?!" Geordi exclaimed in almost a whisper.

"It is a trick! He must be a spy!" Worf bellowed as he stood from his chair.

"My son is no spy! I raised him better than that. He is a highly competent Starfleet officer!" Capt. Logan said in defense.

"How?!" was all Capt. Riker could utter. The counselor was stunned silent and all she could do was stare at Nestor.

"That's what we're trying to find out." Capt. Picard answered. "The Enterprise and the Avian are working to piece together what's going on here."

Geordi rose from his seat and approached Nestor and looked him in the eyes. Shaking his head, he asked: "Who are you?"

"Geordi, it is me, Data." Nestor replied softly.

A single tear trickled down Geordi's cheek.

"No! You're lying! I don't know who sent you here or what kind of sick game you're playing, but you're _not_ Data!" Geordi hissed angrily as he grabbed Nestor's shoulders. "How dare you do this to us?!"

"Geordi, I'm not lying! I really am Data."

"No! Just stop it! Data couldn't use contractions!"

"I believe that since I've become human, I've stepped beyond that impediment."

"This is impossible! This is…!" Geordi was finally beyond words as he cradled his head in his hands. The counselor could sense his extreme anguish and confusion.

"Geordi, please calm down." Counselor Troi implored, concern etched on her face.

"I won't calm down! All we have here is a really good imposter and you're all falling for it! Trust me, I want Data back more than _anything_, but this just isn't right!" Geordi exclaimed furiously before storming out of the room.

"Geordi, wait…" Nestor called as he made an attempt to follow the upset commander, but he was stopped by his mother.

"Nestor, let him go." she gently advised. "This isn't easy for him. It's not easy for anyone. You're essentially telling everyone that you're the reincarnated form of his best friend. The closure they once had is now gone." Capt. Logan explained.

Worf grunted upon hearing this.

Nestor slumped in a chair and stared at his own hands, which now seemed foreign to him.

_Stay tuned for chapter 6_


End file.
